PERILOUS PROFESSIONS


PERILOUS PROFESSIONS

A street vendor is offering mats with kaleidoscopic designs around the Gofa neighbourhood. The thousands of agile vendors scattered about the capital conduct their businesses, evading the watchful eye and whipping baton of the Code Enforcement Authority. As the Addis Abeba City Administration looks to either register and extract taxes from the network of informal businessmen or remove them from the streets, a daily cat-and-mouse spectacle unfolds in the capital. Estimates place the size of the urban informal employment sector at somewhere between 20 and 40pc, with the vast discrepancies partly stemming from a population census lagging for 17 years.

[ssba-buttons]

In-Picture

HIDDEN SIGNAL

Traffic lights in the Gotera area are being obscured by large, overgrown trees, with one pole visibly partially hidden. This issue raises serious safety concerns, compounded by Addis Abeba's rigorous traffic law enforcement. Violations are heavily penalized; a third-degree offense, such as disobeying a traffic light, incurs a 1500 Br fine and three penalty points. The Addis Ababa City Administration's data highlights the scale of the problem: over 100,000 traffic light violations, more than 27,...


In-Picture

TEMPORARY QUARTERS

On Churchill Avenue, a small, rectangular structure provides rudimentary shelter for security guards working overnight. These structures are a common sight in urban neighborhoods. The presence of a hotel advertisement directly above this particular shelter creates a stark contrast in living conditions...


In-Picture

CULTURE CANVAS

A striking fusion of tradition and modernity is captured in a 3D street art piece near the Stadium area, depicting a young girl in traditional attire skating. This creative mural, showcasing notable talent, exemplifies the growing presence of urban street art in Addis Abeba which is transforming its concrete spaces with vibrant, panoramic displays of artistry. This eclectic street art scene encompasses everything from graffiti and portraits to fine art, all infused with rich conceptual ideas...